Trip Tik Tonik 9a by Jules Marchaland

Jules Marchaland, who has done two 8c+ the last three weeks, has done his first 9a, Trip Tik Tonik in Gorges du Loup. "It is for sure the most beautiful route I have ever tried in my life! It’s an 8b/+ at the start (maybe 20 moves) and then you have a hard boulder on small and a big pinch. After the boulder you have a good rest and you have to do a long 8b very long. The moves are not very hard but it's hard because you repeat, "I can’t fall... I can’t fall" 🤣." (c) Matthieu Marin

You did your first 8c+ in 2017 (at age 16) but then no hard routes until last year?
I did not send any hard routes between 2018 and 2020 because at my home crag (Gorges du loup and Déversé) I began trying the remaining harder routes but my level was too low. Eventually, I climbed less because I became less motivated. In the years before I climbed regularly but never trained seriously. This year I motivated myself to train more, and it works, I'm so happy to see that the work pays off!

What are your summer plans?
I have some work (building scenes for concerts or events), and then I aim for the French championships on June 4/5. After that, I want to try Kick ass and Kinematix, two 9a's at my home crag. Maybe also some small trips in Céüse and Briancon this summer.